The present invention relates generally to components for electronic circuits and more particularly to magnetic components having one or more conductive windings positioned around a magnetically permeable core.
Magnetic components having one or more windings disposed about a magnetically permeable core are known in the art and include inductors and transformers. Conventional magnetic components can include one or more cores combined to form a closed-loop magnetic flux path. Conventional cores having traditional and modified E-shapes are known in the art. Typically, a bobbin structure having a conductive winding disposed thereon is positioned on the middle leg of an E-shaped core such that the middle leg is received in a central bobbin void, and so that each outer leg of the E-shaped core extends along an outer side of the bobbin.
One problem associated with conventional E-shaped cores for use in magnetic components includes heat dissipation. Magnetic components such as transformers and inductors generate heat that can affect performance or damage other nearby circuit components. Conventional magnetic components using traditional E-shaped cores generally do not allow airflow between the bobbin and the core body when the bobbin is positioned on the middle core leg, allowing heat to build up in the core and bobbin.
Other problems associated with conventional E-shaped cores for use in magnetic components include inefficient flux utilization of core material and flux crowding. Such cores can include zones through which no magnetic flux travels, resulting in wasted core material.
What is needed, then, are improvements in devices and methods associated with magnetic components and magnetically permeable cores to improve heat dissipation and to improve flux utilization of core material.